Night had scarcely began to veil the streets of the capital in gloom, when
a private postern that gave access to the wing of the palace occupied by the
princess, was cautiously opened, and a female figure came forth, with her
mantilla, or huepilli, drawn closely about her form, and covering all her
face, save one lively eye. But, with all her care, each passer-by knew her
to be Tzitzis, the favorite slave of the Princess Eylla.

After surveying the ground about her, to see that she was not observed,
she hastily darted across the street into the shadow of the temple, and crossing
the bridge swiftly, pursued her way through many windings and across
many squares, until she came to the ruins of the Axuzco palace. The moon
was just rising as she reached it. With a hesitating, yet resolutely onward
pace, she ascended the steps and entered the portal, and swiftly crossed the
deserted hall. At its extremity she came to a low door, at which, after
hesitating an instant, she knocked. A clear voice, of inexpressible

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sweet-was to fly; but his lowly attitude, his deep depression of manner, restrained
her, though no longer detained by him. His releasing her operated also in
his favor. She stopped, and from that instant the prince felt that his power
over her was secured. He had at first determined to bear her off rudely to
the palace; but the attitude in which he had beheld her first touched his
heart, and changed his determination. He felt an interest in her that caused
him at once to reject any thing like violence. This interest, as it ever does,
made the object of it now sacred; he therefore resolved to try the power
of gentleness, and to operate alone upon her heart, feeling, that if he could
for an instant win her sympathy, he might awaken in her bosom an interest
for him that would be most favorable to his views.

`If I can but make her feel,' he said within himself, reasoning like all
successful wooers, `I shall afterwards find it easy to make her love me. Methinks
her pure love were as well worth the seeking now that I have seen
her again, as that of my proud cousin. But I shall have time to woo her
only in my own halls. Once make the impression, and she will forgive me
after. But take her away ere she feels awakened any interest in me, and
I can never hope afterwards for aught but indignation and hatred.'

Such were his thoughts as he kneeled before her, with his head fallen
upon his breast, like a suppliant for life awaiting the answer of his judge.
She was evidently struggling between fear and feeling. At length the
former prevailed, and she moved further from him, as if to quit the room.
He lifted his head, and extended his hands silently and earnestly towards
her. Her retreat was arrested by the silent appeal, and she came back a
step. That step, the prince imagined, fixed the seal to the consummation of
his fondest hopes.

`Noble sir,' she said, with dignity, `it is difficult for a youthful maiden,
like myself, to witness, unmoved, the deep admiration of a noble youth. But
I may not listen to you or remain with you. If I were free in heart and
hand, the difference in our stations would make it crime in me to listen to
you. As it is, I am a betrothed bride; and therefore it makes me doubly
guilty.'

`Nay, leave me not, fairest virgin,' he cried, impassionedly, rising to his
feet, and taking her hand, ere she was aware or could prevent it; `leave me
not. I swear to you no man hath deeper or more devoted love for you than
I have. You shall be my bride — my wedded wife.'

`Talk not thus, my lord; you know it cannot be,' she said, firmly.

`It shall be,' he said, imperatively.

She started at the stern tones of his voice, and became suddenly pale. The
hand he held trembled like a frighted bird imprisoned in his grasp, and she
seemed to be overcome by some sudden and fearful recollection. She nearly
sunk to the floor, but by great exertion of mind sustained herself.

`What means this, trembler?' he asked, in a tone of tenderness as much
unlike his late harsh ones, as his voice had been from the first moment she
heard it on the balcony.

`My lord, my lord, I have been deceived,' she said, faintly. `Alas! why
did I not suspect thee?'

`So you have discerned in me, pretty one, notwithstanding all my caution,
the masked cavalier of this afternoon?' he said, playfully.

`My lord, you have come hither to render me miserable,' she cried. `I
knew not your face. I recognized not, till now, your voice, or I should not
have lingered.'

[figure description] Page 109.[end figure description]

She instantly disappeared by a door hitherto unseen by Tzitzis, who remained
with her heart throbbing between hope and fear. In a few minutes
she returned, and put in her hands a small sealed package, saying—

`Place this in his hands, and leave the rest for manhood and lofty love to
accomplish. I foretold him of this trial. He must first win the throne, and
after prove his right to have inherited it. Depart speedily, as thou camest.'

Ere the Peruvian maiden could express her gratitude, or question as to
the nature of the contents of the package, she had disappeared.

The succeding morning, a band of a thousand soldiers marched out of the
northern gate of the city; their numbers serving rather to add dignity to
their mission, than as necessary to guard the chained prisoner, who moved
with a proud step and unbroken bearing in their centre. The first night
they encamped within a league of the mountain. The youth slept in his
guarded tent, and his dreams were of love and ambition; for a stout heart
like his, that loved so truly, did not despair of success, even where his path
was over the footsteps of a million who had gone before him, and left their
bones bleaching on the mountain side. At midnight, his dreams of Eylla
were disturbed by a slight touch on the shoulder. He started, opened his
eyes, and beheld an indistinct figure gliding from the tent, without waking
the tired and sleeping guards, who doubtless thought their prisoner's safety
sufficiently secured by his heavy chains — and he, at the same moment, discovered
that something had been left in his hand. Instinctively, he hastily
concealed it in his bosom, and turning over with clanking chains, which
roused his guardians, once more sank to slumber.

With the rising sun the camp was in motion, and, under a select guard of
one hundred men, the prisoner was led to the foot of the mountain, and divested
of his chains. Lord Esquitl then embraced him, for he had compassion
on his youth and gentleness, and wishing him success, accompanied him
a few paces on his way, and bade him farewell.

For the first two miles the ascent was comparatively easy. But at length
the young man, of whom the soldiers never lost sight, reached the region
of eternal snow, against which his dark form was but just relieved, appearing
like a speck which, save that they had continued to keep it in their eye, could
not have been detected.

When, after great hardship, Montezuma gained the region of eternal
winter, the verge of which, far down the mountain, was artificially whitened
with myriads of bleaching bones of those who had perished before him, but
the sight of which made him no fainter hearted, he paused to survey the icy
pyramid that pierced nearly a league higher into the skies, presenting to the
eyes of those below one polished cone of glittering snow, crowned by the
starry gem that had burned on its crest from the first day of creation. Notwithstanding
the probable fatal end of the attempt, Montezuma, after gazing
upward a while, and seeing many fissures in the sides of the glacier invisible
to those below, resolved to make it. Lying down on the last spot of verdure
to rest his weary limbs, he reposed for an hour, and then, with a bold spirit,
and inspiring himself with the thought of the Princess Eylla, he began to
scale the icy steep.

He had toiled two hours, and won but a twentieth part of his way, when,
as overcome by the cold and exertion, he was about to admit into his mind
despairing doubts of success, a small package fell from his bosom, and after
sliding down a hundred feet, lodged in a deep cleft of the glacier. It recalled

[figure description] Page 110.[end figure description]

`Oh Montezuma! Sismarqui! help!'

The prince cast her scarf over her face, and, leaping to the ground, bade
him bear her to the boat. The men were at their oars, and, as soon as she
was placed in it, the boat shot from the land towards the opposite shore with
velocity. The maiden had fainted before reaching the boat, and they crossed
the water in silence, the prince folding her in his arms, and gazing upon her
marble brow with mingled pity and pleasure.

`Mictlan,' he said to his man-at-arms, `take a little water in thy hand and
pour it on her temples. She may die.'

`Never fear, your highness,' said the man, bluntly; `I have seen 'um lay
that way for hours. It's as nat'ral as sleep for 'um. Besides, if she come
to, she'll give another alarm with her sweet voice.'

`It is very true. Row on, and reach the steps as soon as possible,' said
the anxious prince, fanning her with his bonnet.

`Did you not hear a low, deep shout just now, as we were putting her in
the boat?' said Mictlan. `It seemed as if a thousand men were growling at
once.'

`I did hear it. There it is again. There is something in progress in the
quarter of the armorers, from which direction it seems to come.'

`Do you see the diamond stone on the peak of Ix, your highness?' said
the man, pointing over the city to the west, where the dark line of mountains
that walled in the vale of Alcolo was distinctly visible.

`I do,' answered the prince, without lifting his gaze from the sweet, pale
face that fascinated it.

`It burns red and bloody to-night. I noticed it an hour ago. It is a
sign of wars. I should not be surprised if something were to happen soon.'

The prince looked up, at these words, and glanced his eye towards the
peak of Ix. The blazing stone that reflected the moonlight did indeed seem
to shine with a sanguinary hue, its color resembling that of a pale ruby.

`It is as you say,' he said, after watching it an instant, and then returning
to survey the features of the maiden.

`It bodes something, your highness,' said the man, gloomily.

`Thou art superstitious, Mictlan. See, we approach the land. Guide the
boat within yonder shadow, — then take up this lovely burden, and follow
me.' The boat was soon at the palace steps, and the prince, taking his way
by a different route from that by which he came forth, skirted the battlements
by a narrow terrace, until he came quite to the rear of the palace, on a close
street composed of courtier's lodges and pavilions, each adorned by marble
porticos, and encircled by gardens of fruit and flowers. At the termination
of the terrace was a small gate, that led into a court surrounded by a high
wall. This gate he opened with a private key, and crossing the court, came
to a door on the opposite side in the wall. This he unlocked also; but instead
of leading through the wall, it opened upon a narrow staircase, that
wound within it. Carefully closing it behind the man-at-arms, he led him
to the top, where a second and more spacious door admitted them into a
private gallery. This they traversed, when the prince stopped before a
panel at the extremity, and pressed his hand against it. It rolled slowly
aside into the wall, and exposed the interior of an elegant apartment, softly
lighted by invisible lamps, which shed throughout the room a delightful fragrance.
The prince pointed to an ottoman, upon which the man-at arms
laid his lovely burden, and then retired by another door, with which he
seemed familiar.

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